Tools and holders therefor

ABSTRACT

The combination of a shanked tool and a holder therefor the holder being formed with a socket for receiving the tool shank and with a resilient latch biased in a direction transverse to the operating direction for engaging in a recess in the side of the tool shank.

United States Patent [1 1 Proctor TOOLS AND HOLDERS THEREFOR inventor: Sidney E. Proctor, High Wycombe,

Buckinghamshire, England st 99.9911 1192122 92!!! Buc'kinghanishire, England Filed: Sept. 13, 1971 Appl. No.: 179,834

Assignee:

Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 22, 1970 Australia.... 3562/70 us. 01. 299/92, 37/142 A Int. Cl. E21c-35/18 Field of Search 299/92; 175/413;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,177,037 4/1965 Elders 299/92 1,375,638 I 4/1921 Kienzle 299/92 Primary ExaminerErnest R. Purser AttorneyBrady, OBoyle & Gates 57 ABSTRACT The combination of a shanked-tool and a holder therefor the holder being formed with a socket for receiving the tool shank and with a resilient latch biased in a direction transverse to the operating direction for engaging in a recess in the side of the tool shank 10 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures PATENTEUAUG 11913 7 3.751.115

sum 1 or 3 I PATENTED RUB 7 SHEET 3 HF 3 1 TOOLS AND HOLDERS THEREFOR This invention relates to shanked tools and holders threfor and more particuarly, but not exclusively, to mineral cutter picks and holders for such picks.

It is an object of the invention to provide improved means for use in securing a shanked tool in a holder.

According to the invention, there is provided the combination of a shanked tool and a holder therefor, said holder having a socket for receiving the shank of the tool and a latch resiliently biased in a direction transverse to the operating direction of the tool to engage in a recess in said shank and thereby retain the tool in the holder.

The latch is preferably resiliently biassed by an elastomeric member. The recess is preferably a groove extending across the whole of a side face of the shank.

In a preferred arrangement, the latch comprises a member having parts disposed on opposite sides of the socket and connected by an intermediate portion or portions, one of which parts resiliently biases the other part to engage in said recess. The latch member preferably comprises an endless member mounted to surround the shank in the socket. This arrangement permits of the compression of a substantial area of elastomeric member between said member and the holder, thereby increasing the latching force.

The shank and socket are preferably of rectangular cross-section with a greater cross-sectional dimension in the operating direction of the tool. Said recess will therefore be disposed in a wider face of the shank, which permits the narrower faces of the shank to be uninterrupted by a recess which would need to be present if the latch was resiliently biased in the operating direction of the tool. It is also unnecessary to incline a substantial part of a narrower face of the shank at its lower end inwards so as to act as a wedge for retracting the latch prior to engagement of the latch in the recess when the shank is inserted in the socket. Since the narrower faces play a greater part than the widerfaces in supporting the tool in use, improved support can be obtained. To obtain good support by the wider faces of the shank, preferably the wider face has a substantial flat socket-engaging area below as well as above its recess. I

The recess is preferably so shaped and the latch so formed that the latch exerts a wedging action between the shank and the holder.

The shank is preferably provided with a recess in each of two opposite sides of the shank and the holder is preferably provided with latch-receiving recesses on two opposite sides. Thereby, the latch can be inserted from whichever side of the holder is desired, with ad vantages as hereinafter described.

The present invention also provides a holder for use in a combination as hereinbefore defined, said holder having a socket for receiving the shank of a tool and a latch resiliently biased in a direction transverse to the operating direction of the holder to lie at least partly in said socket. r

The invention further provides a latch for use in a holder as defined above, said latch comprising a member having parts adapted to be disposed on opposite sides of a socket in the holder and connected by an intermediate portion or portions, and a resilient member adapted to be disposed between one of said parts and the holder.

The invention still furtherprovides a tool for use in a combination as hereinbefore defined.

The following is a description, by way of example, of embodiments of the present invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a coal-cutter pick in a holder;

FIG. 2 is a sectional end view of the pick and holder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of another embodiment of coalcutter pick and holder;

FIG. 4 is a sectional end view taken along line A-A of the embodiment of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the pick of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the latch of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the elastomeric member of FIG. 3.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, a holder 1 has a socket 2 of rectangular cross-section. A slot 3 extends through one side of the holder into the socket and a recess 4 in the other side of the holder communicates with the socket by a slot 4a, and a latch 5 comprises two cross-bars 6 and 7 connected by side members 7a to form an open rectangular frame. The latch member lies in the slots 3 and 4a and recess 4 so as to surround the socket. A block 8 of elastomeric material (e.g., synthetic rubber) is disposed between the bar 7 and a pressure plate 22 carried thereby and the base of the recess 4 so that the bar 6 is maintained just inside the socket. A coal-cutter pick 12 has a shank 14 of rectangular cross-section which fits into the socket. As will be seen from the drawings, the operating (i.e., cutting) direction of the pick and holder is to the left in FIG. 1 and towards the viewer in FIG. 2. The rectangular crosssection of the pick shank (and of the socket) has a larger dimension in the operating direction than in a transverse direction. A groove 16 extends entirely across one of the wider faces of the shank. When the pick is inserted in the holder, aninclined face 13 at the bottom of the grooved face of the shank engages the bar 6 and, the application of downwards force to the pick causes the face 13 to move the bar 6 out of the socket against the resilient resistance of the block 8. The shank can therefore enter fully into the socket and the bar 6 is resiliently biassed by the block 8 to engage in the groove 16, which is so shaped that the pick is fastened securely in the holder. The latch 5 has two parallel extension arms l9which pass through the slot 3 and carry a cross-bar 20 outside the holder; When it is desired to remove the pick, a tool is inserted between the bar 20 and the holder so as to force the bar 20 away from the holder and thus move the bar 6 out of the groove 16, enabling the pick to be readily removed. Alternatively, the arms 19 and bar 20 may be omitted and the pick may be forcibly removed from the holder by a lever engaging in a hole 21 in the head of the pick so that the lower face of the groove 16 forces the bar 6 out of the socket.

The embodiment of FIGS. 3 to 7 is similar in construction to that of FIGS. 1 and 2 and the same reference numbers are used to indicate similar parts. The main differences are as follows. The block 8 has a longitudinal recess 8a to provide a space for facilitating resilient deformation of the block. The cross-bar 7 is itself in the form of a pressure plate. The cross-bar 6 is elongatedin cross-section so as to lie partly within the groove 16 and partly within the slot 4a. Owing to the shape of the groove 16, the resilient action of the block 8 produces a slight inclination of the latch 5 so that the bar 6 exerts a wedging action between the lower part of the groove and the top of the slot 4a thereby more securely fastening the pick in the box.

The shank of the pick is symmetrical, having a groove 16 and a taper 13 on each side. The holder is also symmetrical, having a recess 4 and slot 4a on each side, so that a recess 4 and slot 4a replace the slot 3 of FIGS. 1 and 2. As a result of this symmetrical arrangement, it is possible, before inserting the pick, to assemble the latch 5 and block 8 into the block from whichever side is desired. This feature is very valuable for the following reason. In practice, the holder will usually be welded to a carrier, e.g., a chain. Welding heats the holder to a temperature such as to harm the block 8. Therefore, it is necessary to insert the block 8 and latch 5 after welding. However, holders may be welded on close together side by side (usually with opposite sideways inclination for the picks to cut clearance). If the holders were all as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, one holder whould hinder or prevent access to the other holder for assembly of the block 8 and latch 5. Since, in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 7, the block 8 and latch 5 can be assembled with equal ease from each side of the holder, the problem is overcome. The holder may be provided with bevelled corners 26 so as to faciliate the cutting of clearance. The wider faces of the shank have substantial flat areas 27 below the grooves 16 as well as above engaging the holder to give good side support.

In both of the embodiments, the narrower faces of the shank, which play a major part in supporting the tool in use, are long and uninterrupted in their engagement with the holder so as to give good support. Also in both cases, a substantial area of elastomeric material is acted on by the pressure plate so that a strong latching force is obtained. Location of the latch in the side of the holder enables the length of the holder to be minimised. I

Instead of using an elastomeric block, other means, such as a leaf spring, could be used.

I claim: 7

l. The combination of a shanked tool and a holder therefor, said holder having a socket for receiving the shank of the tool and a latch resiliently biased in a direction transverse to the operating direction of the tool to engage in a recess in said shank and thereby retain the tool in the holder, the latch comprising a member having parts disposed on opposite sides of the socket and connected by'at least one intermediate portion, one of which parts resiliently biases the other part to engage in said recess.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the latch is biassed by an elastomeric member.

3. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the recess is a groove extending across the whole of a side face of the shank.

4. The combination of claim 1, wherein the latch member comprises an endless member mounted to surround the shank in the socket.

5. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the shank and socket are of rectangular cross-section with a greater cross sectional dimension in the operating direction of the tool, whereby said recess is disposed in a wider face of the shank.

6. The combination according to claim 5 wherein the wider face has a substantial flat socket engaging area below as well as above its recess.

7. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the recess is so shaped and the latch so formed that the latch exerts a wedging action between the shank and the holder.

8. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the shank is provided with a recess in each of-two opposite sides of the shank and the holder is provided with latch-receiving recesses on two opposite sides.

9. A tool for use in a combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tool has a shank of rectangular crosssection for mounting in the socket in a holder, and a head with a leading cutting part arranged to cut in a given direction relative to the shank, the shank having a latching recess in the form of a groove extending across the side face of the shank.

10. A latch for use in a holder having a socket for receiving the shank of a tool and a latch resiliently biased in a direction transverse to the operating direction of the holder to lie at least partly in said socket, said latch comprising member having parts adapted to be disposed on opposite sides of a socket in the holder and connected by an intermediate portion, and a resilient member adapted to be disposed between one of said parts and the holder. 

1. The combination of a shanked tool and a holder therefor, said holder having a socket for receiving the shank of the tool and a latch resiliently biased in a direction transverse to the operating direction of the tool to engage in a recess in said shank and thereby retain the tool in the holder, the latch comprising a member having parts disposed on opposite sides of the socket and connected by at least one intermediate portion, one of which parts resiliently biases the other part to engage in said recess.
 2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the latch is biassed by an elastomeric member.
 3. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the recess is a groove extending across the whole of a side face of the shank.
 4. The combination of claim 1, wherein the latch member comprises an endless member mounted to surround the shank in the socket.
 5. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the shank and socket are of rectangular cross-section with a greater cross sectional dimension in the operating direction of the tool, whereby said recess is disposed in a wider face of the shank.
 6. The combination according to claim 5 wherein the wider face has a substantial flat socket engaging area below as well as above its recess.
 7. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the recess is so shaped and the latch so formed that the latch exerts a wedging action between the shank and the holder.
 8. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the shank is provided with a recess in each of two opposite sides of the shank and the holder is provided with latch-receiving recesses on two opposite sides.
 9. A tool for use in a combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tool has a shank of rectangular cross-section for mounting in the socket in a holder, and a head with a leading cutting part arranged to cut in a given direction relative to the shank, the shank having a latching recess in the form of a groove extending across the side face of the shank.
 10. A latch for use in a holder having a socket for receiving the shank of a tool and a latch resiliently biased in a direction transverse to the operating direction of the holder to lie at least partly in said socket, said latch comprising member having parts adapted to be disposed on opposite sides of a socket in the holder and connected by an intermediate portion, and a resilient member adapted to be disposed between one of said parts and the holder. 